Succeeding to the Boardroom, and at the Boardroom table, is a major step – even for talented senior executives. To that end, Fidelio’s “A Seat at the Table” Programme provides practical insight into how to become a more effective Board Director – Executive or Non-Executive – and participants also leave with a roadmap to the Boardroom. To date this Programme has attracted senior female executives from a range of sectors internationally.
In the first week of September 2017 Fidelio hosted the fourth iteration of “A Seat at the Table”, welcoming a select and talented group of senior female executives around the Boardroom table at Leeds Castle. The focus was the next phase of their careers at the top table within their own organisations, as well as on external Boards.
The Benefits
The practical takeaways from the September “A Seat at the Table” programme were:
1) Direct learning from three highly respected Chairs, providing valuable insight into their own experience, as well as expectations of their Boards. Our September contributors included:
a) Dr Harry Brunjes, Chairman, English National Opera
b) Dr Margaret Casely-Hayford, Chair, ActionAid UK
c) Dr Hilary Lindsay, former President, ICEAW
2) Understanding how Boards engage with their stakeholders and shareholders and what good looks like, including:
a) Government, employees and the gender pay gap reporting with Ann Francke, CEO, Chartered Management Institute
b) What shareholders expect, with Susan Sternglass Noble, Senior Advisor, The Investor Forum
3) Practical case studies of Boards in action with experienced Directors and Boardroom practitioners, including:
a) A case study on shareholder activism to explore presence, effectiveness and influence at the Boardroom table;
b) A case study of one of the largest corporate crises in recent business and political history shedding light on Board response and resilience under the glare of public scrutiny
4) Developing presence and profile to be effective in the Boardroom and to be on the radar screen for external Board seats, where participants can add value and continue to develop in their Board careers.
5) An alumni network of senior female executives and Directors facing similar challenges and opportunities globally across a range of leading international companies and sectors, and introductions to the broader Fidelio network of Chairs and Non-Executive Directors.
The “A Seat at the Table” programme allowed me to gain a better understanding of Board dynamics and of the skills required to be effective as a director.
“A Seat at the Table” Trends
Since the first “A Seat at the Table” in 2015, we have been delighted to see interest in the programme continue to grow, both among corporates seeking to strengthen the pipeline of female Executive and Non-Executive Directors, and among women taking a strategic approach to their own Board careers. Three trends have emerged:
1) The programme has always received strong interest from the Financial Services sector, and we are delighted to see this replicated across other sectors. This year we were joined by women from the engineering, automotive and technology sectors to name a few, and from a range of geographies and functions.
2) Confidence is on the rise. Attendees are increasingly dedicating time to understand the value they bring to the Boardroom, and to creating a roadmap for their individual Board career. We welcome this more strategic approach.
3) Increasingly, the importance of networks is being recognised, and the ability to build and leverage networks is identified by Fidelio as one as one of the five critical attributes of effective Board leadership. Increasingly, value is placed on the “A Seat at the Table” Alumni network of talented female business leaders, Chairs and Non-Executive Directors. We look forward to hosting a reception for “A Seat at the Table” Alumni in London in November 2017.
We continue to build on the success of “A Seat at the Table” with our next programme, to be held on 13th-14th March 2018 at Leeds Castle, Kent. For further details please contact Emily Baker or call +44 (0)20 7759 2200.